Liberal group brings campaign complaint against Campbell

BISMARCK—A liberal group has brought a complaint against Tom Campbell, the lone North Dakota Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, for allegedly failing to report the use of equipment from his private company as a campaign expense or in-kind contribution.

The American Democracy Legal Fund's complaint was provided to Forum News Service Wednesday, Dec. 6, by a spokeswoman of a Democratic super PAC, American Bridge 21st Century. It describes a campaign ad in which Campbell, a state legislator and potato farmer from Grafton, stands in front of a truck bearing the Campbell Farms logo.

A Federal Election Commission spokesman said Wednesday he couldn't confirm the agency had received the complaint. Brad Woodhouse, who runs ADLF, said it's in transit and/or being processed.

"Campbell is using his business to benefit his campaign and is trying to hide that fact from North Dakotans and that's why we filed this complaint and are calling the FEC to investigate and take appropriate action," Woodhouse said.

Campbell is seeking to challenge Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp next year. Campaign spokesman Mike Schrimpf called it a "meritless complaint filed by a Democrat organization that

is notorious for frivolous filings" and said the campaign "acted properly and in a manner consistent with federal campaign finance rules."

John Hageman covers North Dakota politics from the Forum News Service bureau in Bismarck. He attended the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities, where he studied journalism and political science, and he previously worked at the Grand Forks Herald and Bemidji Pioneer.